Tex-Fests

April 29, 2004

Tex-Fests

April rain brings May food festivals across the state

Sugar Land opens its doors to the wine community with the first Fort Bend Wine & Food Affair, scheduled for Wednesday, April 28 through Sunday, May 2. The anticipated event will feature tastings, pairings, and seminars as experts from around the nation descend on Sugar Land. Seventeen events are planned, including a "Sip & Stroll" at the Sienna Plantation in Missouri City; with wine from more than 40 wineries and culinary delights from 40 of Texas' top restaurants. Local chefs Scott Cohen of La Mansión del Rio, and Stephen Paprocki of The Fig Tree will be in attendance, as will famed Texan Grady Spears of The Chisholm Club. For ticket information, call 281-491-0216 or visit www.fortbendwineandfoodaffair.com.

New Braunfels joins in the fray by hosting a first-ever wine event on the historic Faust Street bridge from 3-7 pm on Sunday, May 2. Global wines and hors d'oeuvres from local restaurants will tantalize crowds gathered over the Guadalupe River. And it's all for a good cause - the event benefits the Community Service Center. Tickets are $30 presale, $35 door. For ticket information, call 830-625-2439.

Old Town Spring wraps up the final weekend of its Texas Crawfish Festival from 6pm-midnight Saturday, May 1 and noon-6pm Sunday, May 2. Just north of Houston, crawfish lovers come from all over to consume about 50,000 pounds of the tasty crustaceans in the the largest crawfest outside of Louisiana. Admission is free for adults from noon-4pm, $5 until 8pm, and $10 after 8pm. Sunday admission is $5 adults. Free for children under 12. For more information, call 713-863-9994 or visit www.texascrawfishfestival.com.

Closer to home, the Instituto de México is sponsoring the First Mole Festival from Monday, May 3 through Thursday, May 6. Mon-Thu will feature "hands-on" mole workshops from 10am-noon and 5-7pm, with a tasting dinner afterwards at Aldaco's starting at 7:30pm. Chef Ana Martínez will be demonstrating the creation of four different kinds of moles, with an emphasis on history, traditions, ingredients, and regional mole preferences. Friday, May 7 will feature a recipe contest at noon. The week of classes is $125, and individual classes are $60. For more information, contact the Instituto at 223-5100. •